Tim Rice & Lee Menzies present From Here To Eternity, a new musical version

Today producers Tim Rice and Lee Menzies announced plans to stage a new musical theatre version of the classic FROM HERE TO ETERNITY for 2012.

Tim Rice, Lee Menzies for Eternity Productions present From Here To Eternity, a brand new musical theatre version of James Jones’ classic 1951 novel

Stuart Brayson, Tim Rice and Bill Oakes collaborate on music lyrics and book

Tamara Harvey directs

Today producers Tim Rice and Lee Menzies announced plans to stage a new musical theatre version of the classic FROM HERE TO ETERNITY for 2012.

The production was inspired by the music and lyrics of young writer/composer Stuart Brayson, to which the talents of Bill Oakes (book) and Tim Rice (additional lyrics) have been added. It tells an extraordinary story of passion and honour, which takes place on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, in 1941, shortly before and during the Pearl Harbour attack of 7 December.

The production will be directed by Tamara Harvey. Tamara is currently an Associate Director at the Bush Theatre. Her recent work includes the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Smash, the touring production of Tell Me On A Sunday, Dancing at Lughnasa at Birmingham Rep Theatre, Plague Over England at the Duchess Theatre, Bash at the Trafalgar Studios and The Contingency Plan and tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! at the Bush.

Published in 1951, From Here To Eternity was James Jones’ début novel. It won him the National Book Award for fiction in 1952. It is loosely based on Jones’s experiences in the pre-World War II Hawaiian Division’s 27th Infantry and the unit in which he served. The 1953 film and subsequent TV mini-series were adapted from the novel. It has recently been announced that the novel will be re-released with previously unpublished material included.

In 1953 the novel was adapted into a film directed by Fred Zinnemann and produced by Buddy Adler, starring Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed. The film won 8 Academy Awards out of 13 nominations.